Cannot update hosts file.

After downloading latest update I find the disk is read only. Is there
anyway to change the attribute with windows explorer?

Ted
Fri Jun 30 09:00:53 CDT 2006

I hope you mean that the Hosts file is read-only, not your whole disk.

With one very good exception, just about nobody has any use for the
Hosts file...except for viruses and malware, which is why I always made
my Hosts file 'read only' and you should too.

The exception is a handful of programs that try to use the Hosts file to
map the URLs of known spyware purveyors to a non-routable IP. It's a
valiant effort, but one I do not subscribe to since a website can switch
its URLs on a dime, so you're forever updating the Hosts file and always
one step behind the culprits.

---
Ted Zieglar
"Backup is a computer user's best friend."

Patrick Casher wrote:
> After downloading latest update I find the disk is read only. Is there
> anyway to change the attribute with windows explorer?
>
>

Patrick
Fri Jun 30 14:12:48 CDT 2006

It appears to be the whole disk. I always set the hosts file to read only.
Also there are no retorepoints except the one I just created using spybot.
Trying my backup but at first glance it appears to be read only also.

"Ted Zieglar" <teddy.z@notmail.com> wrote in message
news:esZKm2EnGHA.4572@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> I hope you mean that the Hosts file is read-only, not your whole disk.
>
> With one very good exception, just about nobody has any use for the
> Hosts file...except for viruses and malware, which is why I always made
> my Hosts file 'read only' and you should too.
>
> The exception is a handful of programs that try to use the Hosts file to
> map the URLs of known spyware purveyors to a non-routable IP. It's a
> valiant effort, but one I do not subscribe to since a website can switch
> its URLs on a dime, so you're forever updating the Hosts file and always
> one step behind the culprits.
>
> ---
> Ted Zieglar
> "Backup is a computer user's best friend."
>
> Patrick Casher wrote:
> > After downloading latest update I find the disk is read only. Is there
> > anyway to change the attribute with windows explorer?
> >
> >

Patrick
Fri Jun 30 20:13:01 CDT 2006

Contacted Microsoft support they think it's spyware. I can clear the read
only attribute in safe mode and update the file ok that way. They suggested
running Adaware which I had previously done along with Spybot, reran both in
normal and safe modes to no avail. Also did full AVG virus scan in safe
mode. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

"Patrick Casher" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:QIepg.161974$F_3.112948@newssvr29.news.prodigy.net...
> It appears to be the whole disk. I always set the hosts file to read
> only.
> Also there are no retorepoints except the one I just created using spybot.
> Trying my backup but at first glance it appears to be read only also.
>
> "Ted Zieglar" <teddy.z@notmail.com> wrote in message
> news:esZKm2EnGHA.4572@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> I hope you mean that the Hosts file is read-only, not your whole disk.
>>
>> With one very good exception, just about nobody has any use for the
>> Hosts file...except for viruses and malware, which is why I always made
>> my Hosts file 'read only' and you should too.
>>
>> The exception is a handful of programs that try to use the Hosts file to
>> map the URLs of known spyware purveyors to a non-routable IP. It's a
>> valiant effort, but one I do not subscribe to since a website can switch
>> its URLs on a dime, so you're forever updating the Hosts file and always
>> one step behind the culprits.
>>
>> ---
>> Ted Zieglar
>> "Backup is a computer user's best friend."
>>
>> Patrick Casher wrote:
>> > After downloading latest update I find the disk is read only. Is there
>> > anyway to change the attribute with windows explorer?
>> >
>> >
>
>

Frank
Sat Jul 01 06:03:56 CDT 2006

"Patrick Casher" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:x_jpg.111444$H71.67055@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com...
> Contacted Microsoft support they think it's spyware. I can clear the read
> only attribute in safe mode and update the file ok that way. They
> suggested running Adaware which I had previously done along with Spybot,
> reran both in normal and safe modes to no avail. Also did full AVG virus
> scan in safe mode. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Ad-Aware and Spybot S & D can both set HOSTS to Read Only to prevent spyware
from altering it.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
Reply in newsgroup
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve
neither liberty or security"

Patrick
Sat Jul 01 08:39:07 CDT 2006

Yes but normally I can change the attribute with Windows Explorer, in this
case I cannot unless I'm in safe mode.

"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE" <franksaunders@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:%23MUPP4PnGHA.2148@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> "Patrick Casher" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:x_jpg.111444$H71.67055@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com...
>> Contacted Microsoft support they think it's spyware. I can clear the
>> read only attribute in safe mode and update the file ok that way. They
>> suggested running Adaware which I had previously done along with Spybot,
>> reran both in normal and safe modes to no avail. Also did full AVG virus
>> scan in safe mode. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
>
> Ad-Aware and Spybot S & D can both set HOSTS to Read Only to prevent
> spyware from altering it.
>
> --
> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
> Reply in newsgroup
> "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security,
> deserve neither liberty or security"
>
>

Patrick
Wed Jul 12 08:43:57 CDT 2006

After going to level 3 support with Microsoft we found Zonealarm was
blocking changes to hosts file.

"Patrick Casher" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:LT9pg.125615$dW3.88381@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com...
> After downloading latest update I find the disk is read only. Is there
> anyway to change the attribute with windows explorer?
>
>